Numbers 12

1 Miriam and Aaron were critical of Moses because of his Ethiopian wife—he'd married an Ethiopian woman.

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married.

2 “Is it only through Moses that the Lord speaks?” they asked. “Doesn't he speak through us too?” The Lord heard all this.

They said, “Has Yahweh spoken only with Moses? Has he not spoken also with us?” Now Yahweh heard what they said.

3 Moses was a very humble man, more than anyone else on earth.

Now the man Moses was very humble, humbler than anyone else on earth.

4 All of a sudden the Lord called for Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, telling them, “The three of you, come to the Tent of Meeting.” The three of them did so.

Right away Yahweh spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out.

5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood in the entrance to the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam and they came forward.

Then Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud. He stood at the entrance to the tent and called Aaron and Miriam. They both came forward.

6 “Now listen to my words, he told them. If you had prophets, I the Lord would reveal myself to them in visions; I would communicate with them in dreams.

Yahweh said, “Now listen to my words. When a prophet of mine is with you, I will reveal myself to him in visions and speak to him in dreams.

7 But it's not like this with my servant Moses, who of all my people is the one who is faithful.

My servant Moses is not like that. He is faithful in all my house.

8 I talk to him personally, face to face. I speak plainly, not in riddles. He sees the likeness of the Lord. So why weren't you afraid when you criticized my servant Moses?”

I speak to Moses directly, not with visions or riddles. He sees my form. So why are you unafraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

9 The Lord was angry with them, and he left.

Yahweh's anger burned against them, and then he left them.

10 As the cloud rose above the Tent, Miriam's skin suddenly turned white with leprosy. Aaron turned to look and saw that she had leprosy.

The cloud rose from over the tent, and Miriam was suddenly leprous—she was as white as snow. When Aaron turned toward Miriam, he saw that she had leprosy.

11 He said to Moses, “My lord, please don't punish us for this sin that we've so stupidly committed.

Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my master, please do not hold this sin against us. We have spoken foolishly, and we have sinned.

12 Please don't let her become like a stillborn baby whose flesh is already decaying when they're born!”

Please do not let her be like a dead newborn whose flesh is half consumed when it emerges from its mother's womb.”

13 Moses called out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”

So Moses called out to Yahweh. He said, “Please heal her, God, please.”

14 But the Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face wouldn't she have been disgraced for seven days? Keep her in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and then she can be taken back in.”

Yahweh said to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, she would be disgraced for seven days. Shut her outside the camp for seven days. After that bring her in again.”

15 Miriam was kept in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was taken back in.

So Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days. The people did not journey until she had returned to the camp.

16 Then the people left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Desert of Paran.

After that, the people journeyed from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.